Re-Emergence of Zika Virus: A Review on Pathogenesis, Clinical Manifestations, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

Abstract

Zika virus (ZKV) is an arbovirus of the Flaviviridae family, which includes West Nile, dengue fever, yellow fever, and Japanese encephalitis virus. It is transmitted by the Aedes genus of mosquitoes. Before 2015, ZKV outbreaks occurred in areas of Africa, the Pacific Islands, and Southeast Asia. The current large outbreak, which began in Brazil, has also emerged throughout a large part of South/Central America, a number of islands in the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Mexico. A sudden rise in the numbers of infants reported born with microcephaly in Brazil, and the detection of the single-stranded positive RNA virus in the amniotic fluid of affected newborns, has captured medical, mainstream media, and global political attention, causing considerable concern in a post-Ebola global community considerably more focused on the threat of internationally transmissible diseases. The goal of this article is to provide an overview of ZKV for clinicians, with the emphasis on pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment/preventive measures.

Future developments in biosensors for field-ready Zika virus diagnostics

“…Generally, the flu-like symptoms of infection are mild and include low to moderate fever, headache, joint pain, rash, and fatigue [6–10]. However, the recent breadth of epidemiological data stemming from the many thousands of cases across South America, the Caribbean, and Central and North America, has uncovered new insights into rare and severe effects on specific subsets of the population.…”

“…However, the recent breadth of epidemiological data stemming from the many thousands of cases across South America, the Caribbean, and Central and North America, has uncovered new insights into rare and severe effects on specific subsets of the population. These include a low risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults, and critical risks for pregnant women, including stillbirth, restricted intrauterine fetal growth, and microcephaly [7, 10–14]. …”

Neuroimaging findings of Zika virus infection: a review article

“…In addition, sexual transmission has also been reported [4]. Fever is a common presentation of ZIKV infection and other arbovirus infections such as West Nile, dengue fever, yellow fever, and Japanese encephalitis viruses [5]. No severe symptoms caused by Zika virus infection have been reported until recently.…”

Virale Arthritiden und Vaskulitiden

“…Viral arthritis is typically self-limiting but due to severe pain often requires symptomatic therapy with nonsteroidal antirheumatic drugs; however, arthritis and vasculitis may also be a manifestation of an important treatable viral infection, such as hepatitis B, C and human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV). [22]. Dengue und ZKV verursachen allerdings keine Arthritiden, sondern Arthralgien.…”